I think Ben is a first ballot HOF lock. If one of the best defenders to ever play the game doesn't get in, what kind of message about defense would the voters be sending? By electing Ben, the HOF committee makes a huge statement that playing defense is a worthy endeavor and you can be honored for your efforts based on defense alone.

The HOF is an interesting question. I tend to think of Rodman as a much (maybe much is too strong a word) better player than Big Ben. He excelled on multiple teams.

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I would agree to a certain extent.
Dennis played on some of the best teams in recent NBA history. ...Pistons, ...Spurs, ...Bulls.

Both guys could check positions 1 - 5.
The numbers might suggest that Rodman was a better pure rebounder than Wallace while Wallace was a better pure defender than Worm. Rodmans rebounding stats were amazing and the way he did it was also amazing. Ben was a better shot blocker and averaged a lot more steals than Dennis.

It's a pretty cool thing that both of these guys played the bulk of their career in Detroit. I'd have to think that Both would be on the all-time/all-defensive team. (with appologies to Hakeem Olajuwon)For me it's:
C - Russell
PF - Wallace
SF - Rodman
SG - Jordan
PG - Payton

I don't think Rodman vs. Wallace is a fair comparison when it comes to HOF discussions. Rodman was amazing, to be sure, and I am thrilled that he got in. But, the bottom line is, he was the 3rd fiddle in all of his championship teams. Big Ben may have just 1 ring, but he was the anchor of that team. They both deserve to be in the HOF, but are very different types of players.

Big Ben's story is too much of a feel-good to overlook. When his time comes, I would be very very surprised (and supremely pissed off) if he's left out.

PS: He also made the cover of that EA Sports game. That's gotta count for something.

If Ben Wallace would have started a little earlier in the league and played on the exact same teams in place of Dennis Rodman, those teams would have also won the same titles. I mean, we're talking the Bad Boys and the MJ/Pippen Bulls. Add Ben Wallace in his prime to those teams and you also get pure domination on defense. It's almost overkill with either guy. The biggest difference to me from memory is that Dennis Rodman would guard guys like MJ as well as centers, while Ben was guarding PF's and C's solely. But Ben's help defense was also legendary.

When I think of the other insane defensive players in NBA history, I mainly think of freaks of nature like Mutumbo... but both Dennis and Ben did it with hard work and mental aggression. That makes it cooler. And they both played for our Pistons, which is the greatest thing of all.

When I think of the other insane defensive players in NBA history, I mainly think of freaks of nature like Mutumbo... but both Dennis and Ben did it with hard work and mental aggression. That makes it cooler. And they both played for our Pistons, which is the greatest thing of all.

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I hear this a lot, especially in Big Ben's case, about the lunch pale, hard working styles that propelled these guys over their physical limitations.

Big Ben worked hard I am sure, but he is also 6'8 260 lbs with no body fat, cat like reflexes and agility. You don't work your way into this stuff. He is an athalete.

I don't think it is fair(not @ you TaS) to refer to Ben as the "main guy" on the championship team. The LB years were the only years of his career that his teams weren't playing 4 on 5. That has to count for something.

(I am arguing against Big Ben here which is not my intention by the by. I love him!)

I see a 17 year career of which 8 of those years he played in more than 70 games. Less than a majority.
a 47% career field goal percentage.........a 41% career free throw percentage....career PPG of less than 6...
After leaving Detroit following the 05-06 season he had 7 marginal seasons.........
Only earning one all-defense 2nd team during that time......
Rebounding went from 15.4 in 02-03 down to 12.4 - 12.1 - 11.3 - 10.6 - 8.8 - 7.4 - 6.4..........
He was not an outspoken player like Dennis Rodman. Was he endearing to others outside of Detroit?

He may have peaked too soon.........and then........just fell off the national radar..............for too long...

I asked the question about Big Ben........Was he endearing to others outside of Detroit?

The reason I ask that is I think of Bill Laimbeer. To me, he's had a HOF career, but he never was liked by opposing fans. I will always believe that fan disdain helps keep him out. Many voters may feel the same way about Bill.........and now Ben Wallace..........

I asked the question about Big Ben........Was he endearing to others outside of Detroit?

The reason I ask that is I think of Bill Laimbeer. To me, he's had a HOF career, but he never was liked by opposing fans. I will always believe that fan disdain helps keep him out. Many voters may feel the same way about Bill.........and now Ben Wallace..........

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The opposite of this may have helped Dumards get into the Hall as well.

The HOF is pretty small. There are not a lot of people enshrined (that don't play for the Celtics or Lakers). I suppose it is pretty odd that only 2-2.5 Pistons from their should have been three-peat teams have made the Hall. (I'm counting Rodman as the half Piston. He needed the Bulls run along with his Piston day to get in.)